SWLSbread – by Adam Dutton
A hero shopkeeper used his loaf when a robber demanded cash to feed his family – by giving him bread, butter and milk instead.
Hero shopkeeper Rakesh Kumar, 47, refused to hand over his takings to the balaclava wearing thief who threatened him with a knife.
The thug barged into Eversley Stores in Malvern, Worcs., just after 4pm last Wednesday (5/2) wielding a 12in blade.
He then placed the knife on the counter before demanding £100 in cash saying he needed money to feed his children.
The quick-thinking shopkeeper refused to open the till but instead offered to give the hungry crook some food.
He handed the crook a loaf of £3 Warburtons seeded bread, a £3.59 pack of Lurpak butter and four pints of milk worth £2.30.
Incredibly, the stunned thief grabbed the grub – which was worth a total of £8.89 – and fled the scene.
Mr Kumar, who has two children, said: “He came into the store and the knife was hidden in his trousers.
“It was a commercial kitchen knife and I think it was about 12 inches long.
“He put the knife down on the desk and asked me for £100, to which I told him that we do not keep that in the till.
“He kept on asking me for money from the till and that it was to feed his
children, and I kept telling him that there was no money in there.
“I tried to calm him down and he put the knife back.
“I told him to take some bread, milk and butter if he needs to, but he has to promise me that he will not go anywhere else afterwards.
“I said he needed food not money, I said I would provide him the food. He kept asking about the money.
“I told him to take bread and butter, I said ‘I don’t want your children to go hungry’.
“Once he left, I was not going to report him, but speaking to people made me realise I should report it because he was carrying a weapon.”
Mr Kumar reported the robbery to police who later arrested a 22-year-old man.
Mr Kumar added: “This is not normal. I have been in Malvern a long time and this is not normal for the town.
“We do not have any problem with shoplifting here. Five or six kids can come into the shop and I do not have to keep an eye on them.
“The only thing that is scaring me is that this is now happening in Malvern.”
A West Mercia Police spokesperson said: “We received a report around 4:10pm of a man with a knife entering Eversley Stores on Worcester Road and demanding money from the till.
“When it was established that no money was on the premises, the man left the store with grocery items.
“Officers attended and located the man who was arrested on suspicion of robbery.
“The 22-year-old has been released on bail.”
